Test of Wills
by Jade-Tessier
Summary: *Fouth Installment FINALLY up! All Chapters reedited!* Max and Logan have gone through a lot together, but are they ready for what lies ahead? M/L all the way! Please Review!
1. Tipsy

Tipsy  
  
By Jade  
  
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Dark Angel, if I did, it would still be on the air.  
  
Time Frame: Season One, up to "I and I am a Camera"  
  
Summary: Max's drunk, Logan comes to the rescue- what will they do while she's in her stupor?  
  
Author's Note: Logan fixed the exoskeleton and can walk. Thanks to my beta, Elisha- you rock!  
  
  
  
"Damn seizures.." Max muttered. "Hey Stan, can I get some milk?"  
  
"Here ya go"  
  
"Thanks, I really need this right bout now" Max downed the glass of milk, then ordered another. But there was something different about this milk; it tasted different somehow. Max shrugged it off and downed another glass of milk. 'This stuff is pretty good, maybe I should buy some of this milk.'  
  
"Bottoms up!"  
  
  
  
Logan sat in his penthouse, trying to work, but Max kept taking over his thoughts. Eyes Only work seemed to have gotten harder after Max showed up. But it was worth it. Logan would've given anything to see her right now, her red pouty lips, 100-watt smile, and all those curves... 'Stop it, Logan, must get back to work. A lot of people are counting on you. Well, maybe I'll presently page her, dinner should be done soon.'  
  
Logan picked up his phone with a giddy feeling rising in his chest. Why was he feeling like this? He hadn't felt this giddy since Lara Melson kissed him in the sixth grade.  
  
"Hey, you've reached my pager, punch in your number."  
  
Logan punched in his number and got back to work, even with Max laced on every thought he had.  
  
  
  
Original Cindy was having a bomb ass time at Crash tonight. Her new lickety- boo was gonna meet her in about 20 minutes, and she wasn't celibate either. She walked over to the counter to order some beers when she saw Max, looking off into nowhere, downing glass after glass of milk. She didn't look like the same Max Original Cindy saw and lived with. This Max reminded her of Sketchy when he had gone a little crazy with the beer. "You aiight boo? You seem kinda, how to I put this, faded."  
  
"Yea, I'm good, this milk is just reealllyy good. Try some!" Max slid a glass of milk over. 'As they say.. milk does a body good.'  
  
Max had just downed her 7th glass of milk. The room and seemed to soften and all the sudden a warmth came over her. Something was up with that milk, but hell, its just milk!  
  
Original Cindy grabbed the milk and looked at it. 'It looks aiight, but does it smell all good?' "Boo," Original Cindy took a swif of the milk, "This milk's been spiked. You betta put down the milk and get home before something tragic happens. I might miss hooking up with my lickety-boo."  
  
"No, it's not, OC, this is just plain ol milk." Max attempted to get another glass, until her pager went off. "Oooh, who could that be? Oh, it's Logan again, probably wanting me to help him save the world again. Is that the only thing on his miinnnd? Hmmmm?"  
  
Original Cindy shook her head in disappointment.. "Aiight boo, Original Cindy hates to break it down for ya, but you're faded beyond belief. Gimme that, Original Cindy needs some help with this bitch." Original Cindy grabbed her pager and headed for a pay phone. "Herbal! Watch my girl, she's had one too many, if you know what I mean."  
  
  
  
Logan was starting to worry. It had been ten minutes since he paged her. If Max was at Crash with her friends she would have called by now. 'Something's up.' His thoughts were broken by the shrill of his phone. 'That should be Max."  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Hey, you got Original Cindy here."  
  
"What's up?" Logan straightened. 'Original Cindy only calls when something's wrong..'  
  
"You betta get down here boo, your girl's faded."  
  
"Faded?" Logan raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Yea, ya know, faded, strung out, drunk?"  
  
'Oh my God.'  
  
"I'll be there was soon as I can." Logan hung up the phone, grabbed his keys and ran to the door. 'I hope you're gonna be ok when I get there Max.'  
  
Logan sped over to Crash as fast as he could without getting pulled over by another fat corrupt sector cop.. Out front was Original Cindy and Herbal, trying to keep Max standing and away from anymore "milk."  
  
He put his Aztek in park and got out of the car. "She ok?"  
  
  
  
Max closed her eyes as a car pulled right in front of her with its headlights blaring, cutting through the darkness like a knife. The light was sooo bright. She saw someone get out who looked like Logan. 'Loooggaann! Whaat's he doin here?'  
  
"Loogann?" Max looked at him quizzically.  
  
"I'm here, Max." He took Max from Herbal and Original Cindy and placed her in the back seat of his Aztek. "Thanks guys. I'll take it from here."  
  
"You betta take care of my boo, if you don't, I'm gonna out the smack down on yo ass."  
  
"Let'sa get back insida, ya?" Herbal ushered OC back into Crash before she could say anything else.  
  
Logan headed for Fogle Towers. He turned on the stereo, hoping that the classical music would soothe Max. "Valse Triste" came slowly from the speakers. Logan smiled to himself, thinking about the day that his guardian angel saved him and the dance.  
  
"No, don't let go."  
  
"I won't."  
  
  
  
Everything was a blur. Max couldn't see anything very well. Her head was pounding, until that song came on in the car. A wave of memories flooded back to her. She smiled. She and Logan were dancing. She wished that could happen..  
  
"Logan?" Max said weakly, "Are we almost there? I need to puke, and these streetlights are givin me a headache."  
  
"It's ok, we're almost there. Do you think you're going to be ok for another block of so?" Logan stopped at a stoplight and looked over at her. She looked so small, so fragile, so helpless. The Max he saw everyday was strong, powerful, and independent.  
  
"I ttthink so." She said quietly. 'Logan's voice is sooo smoooottthh and sexy.' Max looked up at him, seeing that he was staring at her. 'His eyes.. mmmmm.' They're eyes remained locked on each other until the cars behind him started to honk.  
  
When they got to Fogle Towers, Max had slipped off to sleep. Logan gently cradled her in his arms and walked toward the lift. Max immedialty wrapped her arms around him. 'Mmmm.. Logan smells so gooooddd..'  
  
"Logan.."  
  
"Shhh. It's going to be ok, we're almost there." 'Come on! Stupid lift!' Logan looked down at the beautiful angel in his arms and brushed a lock of hair off her glowing face. The lift finally came to a stop at the floor and opened its doors.  
  
When inside, he went to his bedroom and laid Max down on his bed. He took off her boots and tucked her in. "Goodnight Max." He placed a kiss on her forehead and went back to work.  
  
  
  
A wave of warmth slipped over her as she slowly woke up. 'Mmm.. its so warm.' Max slowly opened her eyes. She had a killer headache and felt a little dizzy. "Damn milk." She looked around. Alarms went off in her head; she was in Logan's bed. 'Omigodomigodomigod what am I doing here?!' She proceeded to get out of the bed, but the room started to spin and she lost balance.  
  
"Logan?" She said softly before she hit the floor with a crash.  
  
  
  
Logan jumped up immediately at the sound of the crash and ran to his room. 'I hope she's ok..' When he opened the door he saw Max on the floor, giggling incessively "Max, are you ok?"  
  
"Yea, I'm hahaha fine."  
  
She looked up into his eyes. They were filled with worry, but they were still breathtaking. "Did anyone every tell you that you have the most gorgeous blue eyes?"  
  
Logan reached down to help her up. "Max, it's going to be ok. I'll help you get back in bed.."  
  
"Stop worrying Logan! It's all good, all the time!" She swung her arms and fell backwards giggling. "Whoops!" She said as she slipped and fell.  
  
Logan ran to catch her as she landed perfectly in his arms. Their eyes locked. Max's giggling suddenly came to a stop. "No, but did anyone tell you that you have the most beautiful brown eyes?"  
  
Silence filled the room as sparks continued to fly. Logan moved in closer to capture her in a passionate kiss. Max wrapped her arms around his neck and his hands slid into her nest of soft brown curls. The kiss was amazing. It was passionate yet gentle, and told Max everything Logan wanted to say but couldn't bring himself to say. Max felt happiness consume her completely.  
  
'He'skissingmehe'skissingmehe'skissingmehe'skissingmehe'skissingme!!!!'  
  
Suddenly Logan pulled away, gasping for air. "We mere mortals need to come up for air every once in a while."  
  
Max's face turned a deep red. "Oh, sorry."  
  
"It's ok. Max?"  
  
"Logan?" She looked into his eyes once again, only to get lost in them.  
  
"Dance with me?"  
  
A smile spread across her lips and she remembered the dream. "Hey, that's my line." She giggled, looking away for a second. Logan put her chin in his hands and moved her face so she was looking at him again. "Yes. I will."  
  
Logan led Max into the living room. With one swift move, he picked up the remote and pressed play. The soft notes of "Valse Triste" filled the air. Logan outstretched his arm, and Max accepted. They danced close together, locked on each other's eyes. Logan held Max out for a spin.  
  
"You ok?" He said, quoting from the dream.  
  
Max smiled, "Yeah, just a little dizzy."  
  
"Wanna stop?" He pulled her in closer, feeling her warmth radiate from her beautiful skin.  
  
"No, don't let go." She rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes.  
  
"I won't."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"I promise." Logan smiled. She hadn't just heard that song in the car.  
  
"Looks like we did share that dream," she said, remembering back to day that she was humming the song in the hospital.  
  
"Looks like it."  
  
The air left between them was fading fast as they continued to dance. "Logan."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I.. I love you," She blurted out.  
  
'Omigod- what did I just say?!?!'  
  
Logan's heart skipped a beat. 'Omigod- did she just say..?' He smiled and whispered in her ear, "I love you too, Max."  
  
The air between them disappeared when they pulled in for another kiss. The kiss made both of them dizzy as they continued to dance. Suddenly, Max realized that the music had stopped. She pulled away and whispered in his ear, "Logan, the music's stopped."  
  
"I guess it has."  
  
He swept her off her feet and into his arms as he planted soft kisses down her neck. "Please. Don't. Leave." "I won't, I promise."  
  
He walked toward his bedroom door and kicked it shut, as the beginning of their proclamation of love for each other began.  
  
  
  
The sun slowly crawled in as day began. Max was lying in Logan's arms, sleeping deeply after an eventful night of loving and confessions. Silence filled the air as cars could be faintly heard driving to work. The phone rang, cutting through the comfortable silence. Logan was all of the sudden jolted out of a rather good dream involving him and Max at the family cabin. Logan groaned and reached over and answered the phone with a rather groggy "Hello?"  
  
"Hey, do you know where Max is?" Original Cindy's voice came pouring through the phone. "She didn't come home last night, and Original Cindy's starting to worry."  
  
"Ah, she's fine."  
  
"Ooh," Original Cindy got the message; obviously she had just interrupted something. "Am I interruptin anything?"  
  
"Just my REM." Logan rubbed his face. 'Too. Early.'  
  
"Sorry. Tell Max that she betta move her ass. I've been coverin for her, but a girl can over cova for so long." Logan could hear Normal screeching, "Hey! That's not your personal phone line missy!"  
  
"Tell him she's been having some medical problems. I'll whip up something." Logan thanked Bling silently for putting that pad of doctor's notes on his desk yesterday.  
  
"Aiight boo. Lata." Original Cindy hung the phone just as Logan could hear Normal's screeching start up again.  
  
Max slowly opened her eyes and felt like a pund of bricks had just fell on her head.. "Who was that?"  
  
"Original Cindy. How ya feeling?"  
  
"I have a killer headache, but I think I know how to make it feel better." A sly smile spread across her face as she pulled Logan in for another long, steamy kiss. "Yep, all better."  
  
Logan held Max in his arms. 'She didn't leave, she stayed.'  
  
Max listened to Logan's steady heartbeat as her head lay on his chest. She felt so safe in his arms. 'Nothing can hurt me now, not even my own private antichrist. Wherever you are Donald Lydecker, you can kiss my transgenic ass!'  
  
"What are you thinking about?"  
  
"How safe I feel in your arms." A smile blossomed on her lips as she looked up at him. He couldn't help but to smile.  
  
"Want some breakfast?"  
  
"As long as you're there." Max let a sly smile creep on to her lips.  
  
Max climbed out of bed. "Can I wear one of your shirts?" She looked at the scattered clothes on the floor. "I don't think I'll find mine anytime soon."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Max hunted through Logan's closet until she found the perfect t-shirt. She put it up to her nose and inhaled. 'Mmm.. this smells so much like Logan. What are you saying girl? This is Logan's t-shirt!' She pulled it on and threw Logan another shirt she had found as he put on his boxers..  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Max followed Logan into the kitchen as he started to whip up one of his favorites, chocolate chip pancakes. His mom used to make it all the time when he was a little kid.  
  
Max sat on a kitchen stool, watching Logan's smooth, flowing movements as he whipped, poured, and whisked. 'God, he looks so sexy when he cooks. ugh.. this headache's a bitch! It woulda been so much easier if I had only had one.' Memories of her drunken stupor flew back to her. 'Oh God, I've become a female Sketchy..'  
  
  
  
Logan couldn't keep his eyes off Max. Something was wrong though, a look of worry settled on her face. "Max? You ok?"  
  
"I'm fine, except for this headache. Got anything I can take?"  
  
"Yea, it should be in my medicine cabinet. Why don't you go lie down until the pancakes are ready?"  
  
"Ok.. I'll just be over there."  
  
Logan watched Max disappear into his bathroom. Soon after, she plopped on the couch and closed her eyes.  
  
"Max, breakfast's ready."  
  
No reply.  
  
"Max?"  
  
Logan walked over to the couch and found Max in a deep sleep. He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. "Max, breakfast."  
  
  
  
Max was deep in a dream. She was back at Manticore, in the cold, haunting barracks her brothers and sisters lived in, but it was bare. "Max."  
  
Max spun around. It was Logan, tied up in a chair with blood trickling down his face.  
  
"Logan!"  
  
She rushed to his side. "Logan, who did this to you?"  
  
She caressed his face and kissed his forehead. Hot tears stung in her eyes. Who could have done this to him?  
  
"I did." A familiar voice called out from behind her.  
  
Her face turned stone cold as she spun around. But she wasn't prepared for what she saw. "Zack? You did this? Why?"  
  
"Because, Maxie, Logan's weak, He's slowing you down. He's going to get you killed, and I just can't stand by and watch." Zack pulled out a gun from behind his back and shot Logan in the head.  
  
"NOOOOO!!!" She held Logan in her arms and kissed him one last time as tears filled her eyes. "Don't leave me Logan! I need you, love you..."  
  
  
  
"NOOOOO!!" Max screamed, slicing the serenity in the penthouse. Tears began to fill her eyes. "Don't leave me Logan! I need you, love you..."  
  
"It's alright Max, I'm right here. Shhh." Logan cradled her in his arms while whispering comforting words in her ear. "It's gonna be ok."  
  
Max slowly opened her eyes. "Logan.."  
  
"I'm right here Max. What happened?" Worry consumed him. What was going on in his angel's head?  
  
"Zack, he, he, killed you." She sputtered out.  
  
"It's ok Max, it was just a dream. It was just a dream"  
  
Max stayed in his arms, softly crying until all the tears had left her.  
  
"Hey, breakfast is getting cold." Logan said, tracing her jaw line with his fingers.  
  
"Umm.. smells good. Do you think you could put it in a doggie bag for me? I'm already late for work as it is."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Max rushed into Logan's bedroom and threw her clothes on. 'Normal's gonna kill me!' She rushed out to the kitchen to find Logan with a bag in his hand.  
  
"Cya tonight? Say around 8?"  
  
"Wouldn't miss it for the world."  
  
Logan wrapped her in his arms and gave her a good-bye kiss full of promise and passion.  
  
"Better not." He said in a low seductive voice.  
  
Max gave him another kiss. "Gotta blaze! Cya soon."  
  
Max left feeling elated and overjoyed. 'He loves me.' 


	2. I've Loved You

I've Loved You  
  
By Jade  
  
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Dark Angel, if I did, the show would still be around.  
  
Time Frame: Season One, after "I and I am a Camera"  
  
Summary: Max and Logan are finally going to have that dinner that they were going to have in "The Kidz are Aiight." Will something else ruin their evening?  
  
Author's Note: Logan can walk with aide from the exoskeleton. ~*~ means flashback. Many thanks to my beta for helping me out! Thanks for all the reviews! Please review- I live for reviews, but then again- what author doesn't? : ).  
  
  
  
"Hot run! 1414 Wexler!" Normal threw the package at Original Cindy.  
  
"I'm on break."  
  
"Well break's over missy miss! Now get going, or you may not have an income tomorrow! Bip!"  
  
'One day the boy's gonna blow a blood vessel.'  
  
Max rolled into Jam Pony with a big smile plastered on her face. 'Not even Normal's gonna get to me today..'  
  
"Well well well, if it isn't another one of our fine punctual messengers. Glad you could grace us with your presence. Here, I have a hot run to 85 Mather."  
  
"Sure Normal, whatever." Max strolled past Normal and his hissy fit happily and over to her locker.  
  
"You aiight boo? You just let the screeching roll off ya like water, no come back or nuthin'."  
  
Original Cindy took one look at Max. "You finally hit it with your squeeze, boo? And don't even think of telling Original Cindy that you and hot boy ain't like that. I seen the way he looks at you."  
  
Max's smile got even wider. "I take that as a yes. You still hung over, boo? You were pretty faded last night."  
  
"Not anymore. Took some stuff to ease the pain, and plus, with my high threshold of pain, its no big dealio."  
  
Max sat down on a bench and opened the bag Logan had put her pancakes in. The delicious smell of chocolate and butter wafted out.  
  
"Whoa," Original Cindy said, putting her nose in the bag, "Logan make that for you?"  
  
"You bet. We were gonna have breakfast together, but by the time we were ready I had to bounce or Normal woulda canned my ass." Max slowly pulled out the contents of the bag and set on the table. Inside, there was a folded piece of paper along with the pancakes and utensils.  
  
Max, Poulet Chez Cale @ 8 PM. Have a great day at work. Love,  
  
Logan  
  
  
  
Max's smile spread even wider. 'Love, Logan.. love, Logan.. I could definitely get used to that.'  
  
Max dug into the pancakes. She let out a small groan. 'My God these are good! Logan, you've definitely outdone yourself this time.'  
  
BEEP! BEEP! Max's pager went off. 'Logan.' A grin grew on her face.  
  
  
  
He took a shower and got started on the latest Eyes Only "save-the-world-by- Tuesday" mission, at least that's what Max called them. He tried to concentrate on the latest scum of the earth, but it was hard not to let his mind wander to thoughts of Max and everything about her that made him love her that much more.  
  
At about thirty minutes of work, Logan's mind kept moving back to the events of last night. The dance, the kiss, finally telling Max how he felt, finally knowing what Max felt, Max's dream, falling asleep with Max in is arms.. it was too good, but it felt so right. They love each other, how could they have been so dense not to realize how they felt about one another?  
  
Logan got up from his computers and walked into the kitchen. The thick smell of pancakes and syrup hit this face and welcomed him. He grabbed a coffee mug and proceeded to the coffee pot until something caught his eye. 'What is that?' He picked up a small piece of paper.  
  
  
  
  
  
Logan-  
  
Sorry for bailing on ya so soon. Thanx for the culinary miracle to go, it smells pretty damn good, Chef Cale. I'll be around, page me. Love, Max  
  
Logan couldn't help but smile. 'Love, Max, huh? I could get used to this...' Logan folded the note and put it in his back pocket, and started to get back to work. 'Wait a minute Cale, she said page me, so shouldn't you page her? Ya know, just to make sure she got to work ok after last night.'  
  
Logan picked up the phone and dialed the pager number that was forever burned in his brain.  
  
"Hey, you've reached my pager, punch in your number."  
  
Logan dialed his number in and hung up. 'Hopefully she'll get back to me soon.' He turned back to work, every thought screaming Max.  
  
  
  
Max pushed off her bike and pedaled towards Logan's. It was so automatic to go to Logan's. She could probably get to his place in her sleep, if she ever slept. She kept thinking about last night, the spiked milk-'You woulda thought that the only milk they serve in bars would be spiked.', the car ride, the dance, and the warm feeling she had when she was in his arms. The dream she had kept bothering her though, what did it mean? Seeing a battered and bruised Logan dead with the smoking barrel in Zack's hand scared her.  
  
Max leaned her bike against the parking structure wall and walked to the lift and hit PH. The only thing in her mind was the fresh image of the man she loved.  
  
  
  
Logan was typing at a rapid speed, deep into his latest mission. If he got the proof to shut down the newest scumbag soon enough, he could complete his mission for the day and spend more time with Max. Suddenly, the computer beeped and window popped up. "Disconnected."  
  
"Ugh, damnit! I need to get this done!" Logan attempted to reconnect, but after the seventh attempt he gave up. "Damnit!"  
  
"Logan? You ok?" Logan spun around. Max was right behind with a look of worry in her eyes.  
  
"Yeah, I just keep getting booted. Last week's blackouts are still killing my connection."  
  
"Got your note." Max pulled the note out from her back pocket to show him.  
  
"Got yours." Logan pulled his out of his back pocket as well.  
  
Logan walked up to her and enveloped her in his arms and planted a kiss on her nose. "So, you coming tonight?"  
  
"Did ya even hafta ask?" Max pulled him in for a fiery kiss. They remained like that for a while, until they both pulled up for air. Their eyes still remained locked, Logan losing himself in a vat of warm, brown eyes, Max diving head first into the clear sky blue eyes.  
  
"You paged?"  
  
"Yea, wanted to know if you got my note and if you could make it to dinner tonight, but those questions have been answered so, more time for this." Logan pulled her in for another kiss. He pulled back and trailed a hot trail of kisses down her neck, as Max let out a small moan.  
  
"I'm. Never. Gonna. Get. Back. To. Work." 'Normal's gonna have my ass, but I'm in heaven so he can piss off.'  
  
  
  
The endless strip of road and tress and come to an abrupt end as the solitary figure slowed his Honda Super Hawk to a stop. "Seattle City Limits. Please have sector passes out and ready to be checked." The sector checkpoint was just about half a mile ahead. The figure was dressed in black leather with a black biker helmet. The figure revved his engines, popped a wheelie and slammed right through the sector checkpoint. As sector police fired at the mysterious cyclist as he sped into Seattle.  
  
'Hopefully I can convince Maxie to leave Seattle with me once and for all.'  
  
Logan slowly stirred the mash potatoes one last time. Dinner was almost ready and Max hadn't showed up yet. 'Relax, Cale. She's probably just pulling a late shift. She'll probably walk through the door any second..'  
  
Logan had spent the whole day preparing this meal. The last time he had attempted to cook Poulet Chez Cale for Max, Bling's "The Gun is Loaded" pep talk had distracted him from actually turning the oven on after putting the chicken in, and Zack, his favorite X5 (cough, cough) from Manticore, needed to be rescued by Max. This time, he had turned the oven on; Zack was far away from Manticore and their drag nets, and Bling wasn't around to give him another "The Gun is Loaded" pep talk.  
  
The sudden ring of his doorbell snapped Logan out of his reverie. 'Must be Max. Wait, since when does she ring the doorbell?' Logan walked toward the door and opened it. His jaw dropped. Max was standing there in a tight red halter-top that clung in all the right places with a rather clingy black skirt that stopped just below her knee, topped with high heeled boots that stopped just above the skirt line. Her eyes-'God, her eyes'-were outlined by smoky gray and black eye shadow.  
  
"Ya gonna let me in or ya gonna stand there gawking all night?" Max quipped, trying to hold back her laughter. The look on his face was priceless, priceless.  
  
"You look, wow, you look really, wow." Logan stumbled to find words to describe her stunning beauty, but it seemed hard to find words that wouldn't understate her dazzling beauty.  
  
Max couldn't keep it in any longer and started to laugh. "You should see the look on your face. I need borrow OC's clothes more often."  
  
"Well, you look beautiful in them." Thoughts of Bennett's wedding came flying back to him.  
  
~*~  
  
"Anyway.Still, I'm returning it."  
  
"Don't do that. I want you to keep it."  
  
"Logan Cale, protector of all that is good and true, advocating larceny?"  
  
"No. I'll call the store and have them charge it to me."  
  
"Forget it, it's a waste of money"  
  
"No, it's not. You look beautiful in it. In fact, you were the most beautiful woman there."  
  
~*~  
  
Logan moved aside and let Max in. The smell of Poulet Chez Cale engulfed her enhanced senses. "Mmm.. I see you turned the oven on this time." She shot a smile at him as he laughed.  
  
"Dinner should be done by now. If you'll have a seat," Logan gestured to the open chair at the candlelit table, "I'll get it out of the oven."  
  
'I love when he cooks his culinary miracles. Hopefully no interruptions this time.' Max thought back to that night when Zack had barged in on her evening.  
  
~*~ "Hello?" "Max."  
  
"Zack?"  
  
"I need you."  
  
~*~  
  
Logan brought over two steaming plates of Poulet Chez Cale, mashed potatoes, and "leafy green stuff" as Max said once. It was just as the first meal was supposed to be like. 'Everything's just the same, right down to the leafy green stuff.' Max smiled as Logan sat down. Logan held up his glass. "To the most beautiful woman in the world, from your recombinant genetics right down to your witty side comments."  
  
Max blushed as he flashed a boyish grin at her. 'He has so many ways of making me feel weak in the knees, but two can play at this.' Just as Logan was about to drink his wine, Max raised her glass, pierced straight into this heart and said, "To the most handsome, brave, and caring man in the world, from your lyrical pen scratchings right down to your 'save-the-world- by-Tuesday' Eyes Only missions."  
  
Max threw Logan one of her 100-watt smiles. He returned her smile; they clinked glasses and proceeded on with dinner.  
  
  
  
The figure sped through Seattle with the sun setting on their shoulders. With no sector pass, it was going to be a problem. Popping a wheelie through a checkpoint was one thing, but breaking all barricades to get to sector nine was another thing. The figure stopped near an old junkyard and hid the sleek black Super Hawk under some stray car parts. With a leap back over the eight-foot fence, the figure disappeared into the night.  
  
After getting through 3 sectors undetected, he crept through the alleyways of sector nine and headed for Fogle Tower's very own penthouse. Logan Cale was about to get a visit from a very unwelcome and very determined guest.  
  
  
  
Max and Logan had moved into the living room after a fabulous dinner. Logan picked up the stereo remote and turned on some classical jazz. Soulful notes poured out of the speakers and quickly filled the room. Logan held out his hand in a silent invitation to dance. Max wordlessly accepted and grabbed his outstretched hand. He pulled her close as they began to dance to the soulful outpourings of a pre-pulse jazz band.  
  
They moved in perfect time, like they had been dancing together for years. Max rested her head on his shoulder as he held her close, protecting her from the cruel injustices of the world. Max lifted her head and looked straight into his clear blue eyes, which were full of love and compassion for her. Logan gave her a little smile and said, "I've loved you ever since you fell from my skylight."  
  
He kissed her softly, as if to say without words, "I need you." It was sweet and gentle, not steamy, yet compassionate in it's own way. Logan pulled back and looked into her creamy brown eyes, now fresh with tears. He brought kissed the tears away and stared back at her again. Max smiled and said, "I've lo-"  
  
CRASH! Suddenly a leather-clad figure wearing a helmet flew through the window. Max and Logan broke apart, giving each other looks of worry. Max flew forward and pinned the figure on the floor. "Who are you and what the hell are you doing here?!?" Max demanded. 'You've ruined my evening you ass!'  
  
The figure reached to take off his helmet, reveling a very pissed off Zack. "Zack? What the hell are you doing here?"  
  
Max stood up and helped Zack stand up. He brushed the glass off of himself. "I'm here to get you out of here, Maxie."  
  
"Zack! I already told you! I'M NOT LEAVING!"  
  
"Maxie, you're gonna get yourself caught if you stay here. You have to go, and start a new life where no one knows who or what you are."  
  
"Zack- I'm NOT leaving! I can't just leave this life behind! I have people here who need me." Max briefly looked over at Logan.  
  
Zack looked at Max and the look in her eyes when she looked at Logan. Then he looked at her outfit. "Not exactly dressed to move out are you solider?"  
  
"She's not a solider." Logan shot Zack a look. 'You're ruining my evening for the second time! Ugh.'  
  
Zack walked up to Logan and punched him in the face. "Yes. She. Is."  
  
Logan stepped backwards as he scrambled to find something to lean against, finally he just crumpled on the floor. Blood was coming out of his nose as he coughed. "She's not a solider! She's a loving caring human being!"  
  
"She's a SOLIDER!" Zack swooped forward and hit Logan in the face again.  
  
Logan groaned in pain as his face throbbed. Max pushed Zack away from Logan and rushed to Logan's side and knelt down next to him.  
  
"You ok?" She said in a hushed tone. Logan looked up at her and saw worry consume the beautiful brown of her eyes.  
  
"I can feel my nose in my throat." Logan grimaced at the pain and reached over for a tissue.  
  
Max stood back up with anger written all over face and faced Zack. "What the HELL do you think you're doing?!? He didn't deserve that you know! I'm not a solider Zack, not anymore. And I'm not leaving with you."  
  
Zack's face hardened. "This is about him isn't it?" Zack pointed at Logan in an accusing way and went on, "Don't you remember what I told you? This is all a sentimental lie! You're gonna get yourself killed if you give into this sentiment crap!"  
  
"I remember but I just chose to erase it from my list of things to listen to. You know Zack you gotta lotta nerve. You risk you ass to get me to leave, something I've already told you I'm not going, you punch someone I happen to care a lot about just because you disagree with him, and you accuse my somewhat normal life of being a lie."  
  
  
  
This sent Zack off the edge. "Someone you care about? CARE?! He's not one of us Maxie! He'll never understand what it's like to be one of us! He's weak, and he's going to get you killed!" Zack's anger was pouring over the edge.  
  
Logan sat there, his head reeling, with a tissue in his nose. He felt happy when she said he was someone that she cared about, but it was hard to stay conscious. His head was starting to hurt more and more. "Max..Max.." He lightly whispered.  
  
Max turned around to sound of his voice. His face had paled and his eyes screamed in pain. She knelt beside him once more and tilted his chin upward to make him look at her. "You ok? You look kinda pale.." She rubbed her hand against his stubbled cheek and looked deep into his beautiful eyes.  
  
"I don't feel so good.." Logan closed his eyes and blacked out.  
  
"Logan? Logan!"  
  
An enflamed Max turned around and stood up to face Zack and pointed to the door. "Get out of here," she said calmly. "You know my answer to your question. Go."  
  
"Max, you'r-"  
  
"Get out of here. Don't you get it? When you hurt Logan, you hurt me." She turned around and checked Logan's pulse. Steady. 'The punch to the face must have knocked him unconscious.'  
  
Zack watched her stare affectionately at Logan. He turned and made a beeline to the stairs.  
  
Max slowly lifted Logan up and carried him to his bedroom. After gently laying him on the bed, she removed his socks and his shoes, along with his glasses, and tucked him in.  
  
"Now where does Logan keep his plastic bags.." Max rooted around in the kitchen trying to locate them. 'Aha! Found em!' She filled the bag with ice, wrapped it in a towel, and walked back into Logan's room. She carefully set the bag of ice on his nose. "To keep down the swelling." she said as if Logan could hear her. Max moved a chair closer to his bed and watched him until she began to nod off herself.  
  
  
  
Logan woke up the next morning in pain. "Uggghhh.." He realized that an ice pack was sitting on his nose. He took it off and set it on the nightstand in lieu of looking of his glasses. Then he saw Max, his angel, not just somebody's angel, but his; curled up in a chair, fast asleep. He studied her face, they way her curly hair framed her face, the look on her face, and way her breathing was quiet and comforting.  
  
He slowly got out of bed and felt all the blood rush to his head. "Ohhh.." He lay back down. 'Zack can really pack a punch.' Max awoke at the sounds of Logan shifting in bed. Her eyes slowly fluttered open. A smile spread her face when she saw Logan smiling down at her. "Hey you. How ya feelin'?"  
  
"Like my face just got hit by a train, other than that, I'm fine."  
  
Max laughed as a smile spread to her face. "I'm glad you're ok. You had me worried there when you blacked out."  
  
"Max.."  
  
"Logan, let me finish what I was saying last night just before Mr. CO came busting in. I've loved you ever since the day I saw your eyes on TV, ever since I found out who the man was behind the Streaming Freedom Bulletin was. That's how long I've loved you."  
  
She moved forward and crawled into bed and Logan's open arms. He kissed her barcode, sending shivers down her spine.  
  
"Thank you, Max.'  
  
"For?"  
  
"Saving me, loving me, being there for me."  
  
"No big dealio."  
  
Logan and Max slowly drifted off to sleep, holding each other, finally knowing that their love had gone longer and deeper than they had ever imagined. 


	3. Normalcy's Not in the Genes

Normalcy's Not in the Genes  
  
By Jade  
  
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Dark Angel, if I did, the show would still be around.  
  
Time Frame: Season One, after "I and I am a Camera"  
  
Summary: All Max and Logan wanted was to spend a quiet, peaceful day together.  
  
Author's Note: Logan can walk with aide from the exoskeleton. ~*~ means flashback. Third installation of the Test of Wills series. Read Tipsy and I've Loved You first or you'll be very lost. R&R please! The poem that Logan writes is a version of a poem I wrote called "Anchor". Big thank you to my best two betas ever- Elisha and Lanna, for helping me get this dealio started. Thanks so much for reviewing!  
  
  
  
A tall curvy woman pulled into a sector checkpoint at the break of day in a red BMW. BMWs were hard to find after the Pulse hit, unless of course, if you had money. The woman, sporting a fancy cashmere blouse and Valentino dress pants, pulled out her sector pass and flashed a smile at the sector cop. "Go ahead."  
  
"Thank you." She said and with that, rolled up her tinted window and drove into the heart of Seattle.  
  
The graceful blonde pulled out a cell phone and hit 6 on speed dial. "Why hello Margot! I was wondering if you could give me your adorable nephew's address, I would really like to surprise him with a visit. Hmm umm, ok. I know where that is, ok, thank you Margot, buh bye." 'If Logan Cale didn't really love me then, he will now.'  
  
Logan slowly woke up later that afternoon with his nose still pounding. 'Note to self: don't piss off anymore X5s..' Logan grimaced and he slowly struggled to push himself up and rest his back against the headboard. He looked down at Max, still in his arms, and smiled at her angelic aura at that moment.  
  
Max moved slightly at Logan's change in positions. She slowly woke up, still drowning in the warmth of Logan. She looked down at her clothes. 'Damn, I'm still in OC's halter and skirt.. hopefully she doesn't mind that they're extremely wrinkled.' Max looked up at Logan, who was watching her lovingly as his eyes shone brightly.  
  
"Hey sleepy." Logan kissed her good afternoon as she melted in his arms.  
  
"Hey to you too, how's the nose? It still hurt?" Max reached up to lightly touch it and assess the damage.  
  
"Well, besides the fact that it hurts like hell, it's good." He shot her one of his sexy grins as she lightly chuckled.  
  
Max tried to slip out of the bed to get Logan some medicine or ice but he wouldn't let her. He gripped her tighter and pulled her in closer. "Don't leave yet," he whispered in her ear, all low and sexy, "I need a nurse, a very special nurse, to help me beat this bitch."  
  
Logan smiled as she ceased her struggle and let out a laugh as she relaxed in his arms. "You've been hanging around me too long." she remarked, letting a smile grow on her face.  
  
"Is that a bad thing?"  
  
His low seductive tone sent chills up her spine. 'Thank God it's Saturday! I woulda lost my job for about the fifth time already!'  
  
Logan kissed the top of her head. "Come on, let's get some lunch."  
  
  
  
Zack unearthed his Super Hawk from the rubble of scrap metal as morning descended on the Seattle skyline. 'If she won't obey orders I can't be responsible for her carelessness.'  
  
Zack sped off through Seattle and back into the depths of Canada and the safe cover of Canadian fir tree forests. He felt the Manticore inside of him, chastising his failure. 'Maybe one of these days she'll listen.'  
  
  
  
Max slipped into her apartment soon after she and Logan had lunch together. 'I can't stand these clothes anymore!' Max walked into her room and changed into a robe.  
  
"Boo! That you? Where tha hell have you been? Original Cindy had started to think that those black helacopta folks stopped by on yo ass after I had paged ya 3 times!"  
  
"Zack dropped in on us last night." Max said casually, as if he ruined their evening every night. "Whad he do to my home girl? Does Original Cindy need to smack some sense into ya boy?"  
  
Max stared off into nowhere, remembering what happened last night. "No, I'm cool," she said distantly, "but I can't say the same for Logan. He has such nerve, you know that?" Max's anger started to boil. "Mr. GI-Joe barges in on my evening, hurts Logan, then asks me to leave Seattle with him!"  
  
Original Cindy poured some coffee and offered it to Max. "I feel ya boo. Logan ok?"  
  
"Yea, he just has a bruise on his nose."  
  
"You gonna go over there and nurse him back to health?" Original Cindy wagged her eyebrows at Max while she started to laugh.  
  
"I gotta get moving- I promised Logan we'd spend the day together." Max put down her coffee and walked into the bathroom. The cold water pelted her smooth skin as thoughts buzzed and ricocheted in her head. Logan had offered his shower, but she needed some time to think about things, especially Zack's rantings. His words were starting to get to her, even though she knew her life wasn't a sentimental lie, and Logan was one of the strongest people she knew. He wouldn't get him killed, but would she get him killed? Thoughts loomed over and over in her mind as her cold hypothermic shower came to an end.  
  
"He's not a liability, but am I?"  
  
  
  
Logan typed away at this computer, hoping Max would come back soon. She had declined his offer of using is shower, probably because she needed to clear her head. Logan couldn't hear all of what Zack had said, but what he had heard stung him just as much as it had probably stung her. Even with everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, Max had agreed to spend the day with him. A day free of Lydecker and Manticore, Jampony, Bling's pep talks/sermons, and Eyes Only problems. Today it was just he and Max.  
  
After tying up some loose ends, he shut down his computers and pulled out the leather journal in which he kept all his poems about Max. As he skimmed over his poems, he realized that one of then was missing. It was the one he let Max read shortly after she got Original Cindy out of the clutches of Synthedyne. 'She must have taken it with her. All that time you thought that poem had scared her away Cale, and she really took it with her. Bling's right, I am pretty dense.' He flipped to an open page and started to scribble his thoughts down.  
  
you always seem to anchor me to my mind  
  
not letting me slip through the cracks  
  
keeping me sane even though at times i seem pretty wacko  
  
keeping my morals and values strong  
  
hearing your voice in my head making me turn around and defend the weak  
  
more than i ever have before  
  
pushing me to be the best because you know how bright the light inside of me is  
  
telling me that i am great even when even i don't believe it  
  
making me smile brighter and the rose colored glasses rosier  
  
adjusting my eyes to see more hidden beauties in life  
  
that seemed to slip under the radar before  
  
reinforcing my opinions wanting me to share my voice  
  
with the whole world even if someone won't approve  
  
anchoring me to myself while you show me so much in such a short time  
  
  
  
The infamous red BMW sped through the streets of Seattle. The woman had seemed to weasel her way out of getting tickets for speeding in every sector. Now, she was entering sector nine, the high-rise bureau, where Logan Cale resided.  
  
She stopped at a very classy coffee shop, one of the few left in Seattle even though coffee and Seattle used to go together like salt and pepper, but things change. She ordered a mocha frappuccino, her favorite. Not the ones in those wimpy little bottles that used to be sold in supermarkets before the Pulse, but the ones that came in large quantities, handmade, and in a large soup bowl sized cup.  
  
After checking her voicemail, she opened her rather large, black leather purse and pulled out a similar looking sleek phone book. She flipped until she got to a page circled in red several times.  
  
Cale, Logan 26.486.397.1085~ Former Boyfriend from Yale, soon-to-be husband.  
  
  
  
Logan closed his book of "lyrical pen scratchings" after reading his recent poem one last time. He was contemplating on whether to show it to Max or not until the shrill of his phone broke his thoughts. "Hello?"  
  
"Loogie! It's soooooo good to hear from you! It's been so long! What has it been? Five, six years?" A high voice on the other end was pointing in Logan's head as he sat dumbfounded. "Veronica? How did you get this number?" Logan sat down in his computer chair, stopping briefly to recollect those years at Yale and those five hellish months when she breathed down his back every moment.  
  
~*~  
  
Logan woke up to the sound of a very high voice and bright light.  
  
"Goooodd morning Loogie! I made you some breakfast! IwasthinkingthatttodaywecouldgotothatlovelyparkonMadisonand-"  
  
Logan stopped listening and rubbed his eyes. He picked up the clock and read it, "EIGHT O'CLOCK? You woke me up at eight o'clock! Veronica- how many times do I have to tell you- I'm NOT a morning person!"  
  
Veronica shoved a piece of buttered toast in his mouth. "Eat, we've got a lot of things to do today! Oh and I set out the shirt and pants that you look really good in, you know the yellow shirt and white pants?"  
  
Logan pulled out the piece of toast and slam-dunked it in the wastebasket. 'I've spent way too much time this week taking out half eaten pieces of food that she's voluntarily shoved in my mouth.' Veronica threw his yellow shirt and white pressed Armani dress pants at him. 'Ugh- not the yellow shirt and white pants! Way too bright- and I think the only reason I've worn them was because Veronica found the box I left them in from last Christmas with Margot and Jonas.. Smooth, Cale. You should've given them to Tom or Fredrick- but nooo, you had to keep them! Stupid, stupid!'  
  
Logan slid out of bed and pulled on a robe. He threw the clothes back in the closet on top of his Lit book as Veronica kept yapping. Closing the drapes, he walked into the kitchen and drank some coffee. It was going to be a very loooooooonnnnngggg day. ~*~  
  
Logan shuddered at the past recollection as Veronica, same as always, kept talking. When she took a breath, Logan cut in, "You know, Veronica, it's nice to hear from you again, but I'm very busy today. Sorry."  
  
"Oh no worries! I'll just drop by for a few minutes and just be on my way! Cya in a few Loogie!"  
  
"Wai-" The phone on the other end clicked off, "t."  
  
'How the hell did you get yourself into this one this time?!'  
  
Logan had a thousand different thoughts running in his head at once. How did she get his phone number? He hasn't talked to her since they had broken up when he was a senior at Yale. How did she know that he lived in Seattle? And most importantly, how does she know where he lived? No one else from college really kept in touch with him, after Yale and the Pulse, he pretty much cut off ties with most people from his past, and the only people that were aware of his whereabouts from his past- "No."  
  
Logan picked up the phone and dialed a very familiar number. "Hello?" An aristocratic voice poured out through the receiver.  
  
"Hi Aunt Margot."  
  
"Why Logan! What a surprise this is!"  
  
'I'm sure it is.' Logan tried to stay calm, but it was getting more and more difficult.  
  
"Well, I have been busy- Look, you wouldn't by any chance know a Veronica Michaels would you?" 'Please say no, please say no!'  
  
"Veronica Michaels as in Michaels Medical Supply?" Logan let out a sigh of relief, "Well of course I do Logan, we met several months ago at a charity luncheon."  
  
Logan's eyes got large and the room started to swim. "You, didn't by any chance, tell her where I live and give her my phone number did you?" 'Say no, say no!'  
  
"Well, she was very eager to see you so, obviously, I gave her the information. I think she still has feelings for you, Logan." She said with a rather matter-of-fact tone. Margot was glad a high-class woman had plans to add herself into Logan's life. After that Max Guevara showed up at Bennett and Maryanne's wedding, Margot had looking out for people to set Logan up with a nice, rich Gloria Vanderbilt type girl, but they were hard to find in pre-Pulse America. Then Veronica had come along and she knew that Veronica was perfect.  
  
"Ok, I, um, I have some work to do so I'll um, talk to you later." Logan hung up the phone and put his heads in his hands. Was the whole world plotting against him, or did it only seem that way?  
  
  
  
The cherry red BMW pulled into the Fogle Towers parking structure. The tall blonde got out, locked the car and preceded to the lift, when inside, she pressed PH. She was sure to get him this time. Margot had told her about this "Max" girl that Logan went with to Benny or Benae's or whatever his name was wedding, but she was sure he had just hired her or something. When she got to Logan's penthouse door, she knocked on it loudly and yelled, "Woohooo! Loogie! Open up!"  
  
  
  
Logan stopped dead at the sound of a high-pitched shrill coming from the other side of the door. 'Veronica. Damnit! She didn't give me enough time to get out and go over to Max's place.. Ugh! What the hell am I gonna do?' "Ahh- Just a minute!"  
  
Logan walked to window and looked down. 'Too far of a drop. Damn and there's no other way out!' Logan was left with not other options but to open the door. He walked to the door and opened it. "Hi, Veronica, how's it going?"  
  
"Oh just great! You have such a lovely penthouse! Can I go in?" Veronica brushed past him and walked in.  
  
"Sure, come on in." he commented softly, "She hasn't changed a bit, not one bit!" Veronica walked around, looking at the furniture and tables, looking for a picture of the "other woman," but there were none.  
  
"What brings you by?" Logan walked in the kitchen and poured two cups of coffee, strong Irish coffee for him, decaf for her- so she wouldn't bounce off the walls anymore than she already did, and walked into the living room.  
  
"Oh, you know," She smoothed her pants and accepted the cup of coffee, "Just wanted to drop by and see an old friend." She looked off and took a sip of her coffee.  
  
"I know you Veronica, you never just 'drop by' for anything."  
  
"Well, you got me there," She laughed as Logan took a long, long sip of his Irish coffee in silence. "I was wondering, if you wanted to, well, see- my uncle has this boat which is now mine since he died and since it's a perfect day to go out sailing and since I used to take you sailing all the time and once you said you loved it so I thought with it being docked Washington Harbor and all that we could go for a spin in it?"  
  
"Well, I have pla-"  
  
"Great! Let's go!"  
  
Veronica took a hold of his arm and dragged him out the door before he could get his cell phone or keys. 'Max, save me!'  
  
  
  
Max sped through sector nine as a cool breeze brushed her face. Max had spent a while talking to OC about the past events before she hit Logan's. 'Today I get to be just a normal girl spending time with her- wait, is Logan my boyfriend?' Max and Logan hadn't talked about it yet, its had just, happened. 'I guess I'll have to talk to him about it, only if he brings it up of course.' She pulled into the parking structure in Fogle Towers and parked her bike next to Logan's Aztek. His Aztek had gone through a lot, mostly because of her. When he had had the Cale trust fund cushioning him he just took it to an auto shop, but know that the trust was gone, Max helped him fix it up every once in awhile. She walked in the lift and pressed PH. 'Just being a normal girl without a government agency on my ass today.'  
  
Max picked the lock in Logan's door only to find that it wasn't locked. 'Funny, Logan always locks his doors.' "Logan? Logan?"  
  
Max looked around the penthouse to find Logan nowhere, yet his phone and keys were still there. He had vanished, without a trace. No message, not phone call, nothing. "Where are you Logan?"  
  
Suddenly tremors overcame her body and she crashed into the wall. "Wwwwhhhheerre iss ttryypptoopphhann?" Max fumbled in her pockets but came up empty. She felt her legs give out as she leaned against a hallway wall. 'If only I could just reach the bathroom.' Max was aware that Logan kept tryptophan in his medicine cabinets after she landed in Langford for trying to steal some more after Kendra and OC flushed them down the toilet. Max scrambled across the hallway towards his bathroom. The more steps she took the farther away it felt. Max's legs finally gave out as the shakes began to increase and she fell to the floor.  
  
~*~  
  
"Stay with me, please?  
  
"I'm not going anywhere."  
  
"Probably the most singularly beautiful face I've ever seen."  
  
"You looked beautiful in it, In fact you were the most beautiful woman there."  
  
"You ok?"  
  
"Yea, just a little dizzy."  
  
"Wanna stop?"  
  
"No, just don't let go."  
  
"I won't."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"I promise."  
  
  
  
"It's worth noting, while you're right--my mission is saving the world--it doesn't mean that I don't worry about you."  
  
"Worry accomplishes nothing. But it's nice to know that you think of me as more than your own private cat burglar."  
  
"Way more." ~*~  
  
"Logan.." Max whispered as she crashed on the floor and plunged head first into a vat of darkness. 


	4. Sticking With Me

Sticking With Me  
  
By Jade  
  
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Dark Angel, if I did, the show would still be alive and kickin'.  
  
Time Frame: Season One, after "I and I am a Camera"  
  
Summary: Logan's stuck on a boat with a chihuahua, and Max's seizing helplessly on Logan's floor, without his knowledge. What can possibly happen next?  
  
Author's Note: Logan can walk with aide from the exoskeleton. ~*~ means flashback. Fourth installation of the Test of Wills series. The poem that describes Veronica's feelings is another poem that I wrote for one of my best friends when she was going through a hard time after the stupid boyfriend broke up with her.. R&R please! Big thank you to my best betas ever- Elisha and Lanna, for helping me get this dealio started. Thanks everyone for reviewing!  
  
Angelbebe- please email me @ jadeinsectornine@hotmail.com, I've gotta ask you a question  
  
It had been a very long day. Logan had been stuck on "The Ronnie" - Veronica obviously changed the name of the boat when she "inherited" it-all day. She spent the day yapping, throwing herself at him, and shoving ritzy food down his throat. And to his dismay, the boat had zero phones and they never went anywhere with a payphone near by. 'I hope Max isn't too pissed off when I page her.'  
  
The day had started to come to an end and Veronica had guiltlessly invited herself over for one of his culinary miracles. 'Maybe I could put some of those sleeping pills I have in the dinner..' Logan opened the door with Veronica at his heels and raced into the office to page Max.  
  
"Hey, you've reached my pager, punch in your number."  
  
Logan dialed his number and hung up. BEEP BEEP! Logan stopped dead in his tracks. 'Max?' Logan walked into the hallway, following the beeps, until he found her slumped on the floor, seizing. "MAX!"  
  
  
  
All of a sudden Max was nine years old again and back in the cold dreary barracks with her brothers and sisters. "EYES FRONT!"  
  
Max flinched and shot up, and looked straight at the officer. Flashes of Eva's death flashed over and over in front of her. A wave of helplessness brushed over her as she could only watch and gasp. Suddenly she was running in the grounds just outside of Manticore in her government-issue gown. Searchlights prowled the snow and trees looking for the young X5s. Lydecker stepped out from the surrounding forest, making Max skid to a stop.  
  
"And just where do you think you're going soldier? Do you think you can leave this place?" Lydecker scoffed and shook is head in disagreement, "You can never escape, Max, never. Do you think that out there you'll be.. safe? They'll do everything in their power to hurt you. It's their job, their purpose of existence. Do you think that Logan Cale can protect you forever?" Max stood there bewildered. How did he know about Logan? "Well he can't. Once he realizes you're a cold blooded killer he'll drop you like the pan that was too hot or the pet that bites."  
  
Max's anger rose the more Lydecker went on. Now was the time to speak up and defend him, and her. "Logan knows who and what I am and he loves me for it." Max's grown up voice projected out through a nine-year-old Max and cut through the cold silence like a knife.  
  
"He did." Lydecker smiled slyly as he crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
"What the hell do you mean did? Where's Logan? TELL ME!"  
  
The forest around her faded, as did Lydecker. She was now standing on a grassy hill next to a tombstone. "Logan Cale, 1988-2020. Loving boyfriend and person."  
  
Max started to back off and shake her head in disbelief. "No. No. This can't be true, it can't be. It can't. It just can't!"  
  
"Don't you see Max?" Lydecker's voice boomed from the sky, "You kill everyone you so called 'care' about. You belong back at Manticore. We need you. You. Need. Us." Lydecker's propaganda faded away as Max fell to her knees near Logan's tombstone. "Logan. I need you."  
  
  
  
"MAX!"  
  
Logan rushed over to her and shook her. 'She's unconscious. How long has she been like this? Has she been here all day?' Logan scooped her up into his arms and carried her into his bedroom. "It's ok, I'm here. You're gonna be ok." Logan whispered in her ear, as she curled up to his warmth.  
  
And perfect timing, Veronica poked her head out of the kitchen. "Loogie? What on earth are you- who is that? Since when do you hire junkie women off the street?"  
  
Logan stopped dead in his tracks. How could she say something like that about her? Anger boiled up inside of him. His jaw clenched. 'Relax. Her words mean nothing. I love Max and that's all that matters.. but still! How could Veronica say something that.. ugh.. the nerve of her..!'  
  
"Where are you going? Loogie? Loogie!" Veronica followed him until he spun around, and she was staring into hard cold blue eyes.  
  
Logan struggled to keep calm. How dare her! "Max is someone I love very much," Veronica struggled to let out a gasp as her face twisted. "She's not a whore or a junkie. I suggest that you leave before I kick you out myself."  
  
Logan sun on his heel and walked into his bedroom. 'The nerve of her!' Logan carefully laid Max down on his bed and rolled up her sleeve. He ran to the medicine cabinet in his bathroom and grabbed the syringe, rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab. He put some alcohol on her arm and injected the tryptophan in her blood stream. He took off her boots and tucked her in. Max's face softened as she moved under the covers. Logan leaned over and kissed her forehead.  
  
"Don't leave me yet Max." He whispered in her ear. A fresh tear fell from his eye and kissed the sheets as her kissed her hand. "Don't leave me ever."  
  
Logan got in bed next to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Logan.." Max murmured softly as she moved closer to him.  
  
"Shhh." Pushing the thought of Veronica's presence or absence away to the far corners of his mind, he dozed off to sleep, exhausted by the day's events.  
  
  
  
Veronica had had a great day. She spent the whole day with Logan on her new boat, "The Ronnie." She had renamed it after she "inherited" it. The boat's old name was unbearable. She still couldn't understand why her uncle had named it "Dream Catcher." Dream catchers were those cheap little things that she often saw on poor vendor's carts who didn't have any real money or a job. "The Ronnie" was a much better name. The day was mostly composed of flirting shamelessly with Logan, hoping that he would flirt back, but he just had this mean look about him. 'He was so tense all the time!' even when she fed him caviar bite by bite, he just gave her a look of disgust. 'What am I doing wrong? Most men love this sort of thing!'  
  
When the day had ended, Logan hadn't made any attempts to invite her over for dinner; she saved him the trouble and accepted his silent invitation. When she had accepted, she couldn't exactly pin the word to go with his expression. It looked like something between dread and fear, with little something else mixed into the mix. Once the red blur reached Fogle Towers, Logan raced out to the stairwell. "Closed for repairs."  
  
"Damnit! Are you all out to get me?!?!" Logan walked over to the rather sluggish lift and pressed up several times in midst of his frustration.  
  
"Loogie! Honey, you're going to break the button!" She wrapped an arm around his lower waist and waited patiently for the lift, for all of 30 seconds anyway. "Stupid thing!" She hit the button several times, "Why aren't you coming?'  
  
Logan smirked and moved away from Veronica, "You're going to break the button."  
  
Veronica shot Logan a look just as the lift doors opened. "Let's go!" Veronica pulled Logan into the lift and wrapped her arms around him. "You are so adorable, did you know that?" Logan rolled his eyes for the seven billionth time that day. 'Can't you see I don't like you that way? I do have an angel waiting for me.. hopefully.'  
  
The lift finally reached his penthouse. Logan ran off as soon as the doors opened. 'Well, well, someone's anxious to cook me dinner.' Veronica slowly walked in after him, oblivious to the woman lying in the hallway. 'Some coffee would be nice right about now.' She helped herself to Logan's well- stocked supply of coffee, thinking about what else she could do to seduce Logan, and thoughts of the wedding, when she won him over of course.  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
The cathedral stood atop a hill in the Washington countryside, beaming from miles away. The many guests traveling from near and far could see it before they even got near it. Inside the cathedral was overflowing with white elegant roses and calla lilies. A string quartet was off in the corner rehearsing while camera crews and wedding planners bustled about busily, unaware of the wedding guests arriving.  
  
As soon as all the guests has sat down and all the bridesmaids, ushers and flower girls had gone down the aisle, the quartet began the opening measure of the wedding march. The anxious crowd turned around to see the bride. She was beautiful. She was wearing a long, traditional wedding dress. The neck cut low and the sleeves covered her hands. The purity of the dress was decorated with beads scattered all over the dress, giving the bride a sort of glow and she walked next to her father. As soon as the march to the altar was over, her father lifted up her veil, planted a kiss on the cheek and put the veil back down. He gazed upon his daughter's face one last time before she crossed from daddy's little girl to a woman before taking his seat. The glowing bride turned to face her soon to be husband as they held hands and gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. The minister started his ceremony. "We are gathered here today to witness the joining of Logan Matthew Cale Jr. and Veronica Raquel Michaels in holy matrimony."  
  
Veronica smiled as she squeezed Logan's hand. He smiled back and mouthed, "I love you."  
  
She mouthed, "I love you too," back. "If any think these two should not be eternally bonded, speak now or forever hold your peace."  
  
The church remained silent. "Do you-"  
  
"MAX!" ~*~  
  
  
  
Veronica snapped out of her reverie. Max? Could this be the same Max that Margot had told her about? Panic rose in her throat as she followed the origin of the scream. To confirm her fears, there was Logan, with a shaking young woman in his arms, holding on to him for dear life. She tried to squash her fear by doing what she did best, acting completely innocent and clueless.  
  
"Loogie? What on earth are you- who is that?" Logan kept walking toward the bedroom, brushing her off completely. 'He ignored me!' Veronica's hatred towards this Max girl was growing more and more. "Since when do you hire junkie women off the street? Where are you going? Loogie? Loogie!"  
  
Veronica followed him until he spun around. His face was hard and angry, and his jaw was clenched tightly as if he didn't want to scream at her. "Max is someone I love very much," The word Max and love in the same sentence sent a tight feeling in her chest as she gasped for air. Her face distorted from a look of innocence to a look of shock and horror. Veronica struggled to let out a gasp as her face twisted. "She's not a whore or a junkie. I suggest that you leave before I kick you out myself."  
  
Logan turned around and disappeared in his bedroom, leaving Veronica standing there, mouth gaping open. "Uh..uh.." Veronica walked back into Logan's kitchen and looked for something strong to drown her upset.  
  
  
  
A wave of calm drowned her as the grassy hill and the tombstone disappeared and darkness reigned once again. But there was something different about this darkness, it was calming, warm, and made her feel safe. The anxiety in her blood had calmed and her feeling of loss and sorrow had dissipated and had been replaced with relief. "Logan.."  
  
  
  
Logan woke up from his slumber next to Max after hearing a loud crash in the kitchen. 'Oh no, is Veronica still here?' He put on his glasses and walked into the kitchen to find Veronica on the floor with a half empty bottle of pre-pulse liquor. 'Oh great, she's drunk.' This wasn't the same thing as Max being drunk, he loved her through and through, but Veronica? That was another story. Logan walked over and grabbed the bottle out of her hands and poured it down the sink. 'Not like I was gonna drink it anyway...'  
  
"Hhhheeeyy! Whaa thhhe thhe hhheell do do ya ya you ddo tha that fffor?" She sputtered as she gave him an angry look.  
  
Logan put a smile on his face, "Trying to keep my apartment in one piece. And to kick you out."  
  
Veronica was hurt once again. "Kkkkiiccckk mmmee outtt? Youu cacacan't dddo tthat! Wwee haven't eaten diinner yeett! Don't you cccare about me Looooogie?"  
  
Logan groaned. "Don't you get it?!? I never did! Don't you remember? I started seeing someone else but you kept coming back! Don't you remember how we got together in the first place?"  
  
  
  
~*~ Tonight was the biggest night of her life. Daphne was finally going to introduce her to the smart and sexy Logan Cale. She had fallen for him at the first party that Daphne threw at the beginning of the year. 'Yale does have its high points!' Since then, She kissed up to Daphne in hopes of being set up with him, and after months of groveling and ass-kissing; she was finally going to be introduced. She had spent hours on her makeup and outfit. She went out and bought a new outfit, just to impress Logan, and now the time had come. She was only feet away from Logan, as Daphne was pulling her along. Logan was sitting in the corner of the crowded room, scribbling down something in a journal or a book.  
  
"Logan!" Daphne yelled over the music, "This is Veronica! Logan! Veronica! Veronica! Logan!"  
  
"Hi." She said seductively.  
  
"Uh, hi." Logan looked up for a brief second and then went back to writing in his book or whatever it was.  
  
Veronica was hurt. 'He didn't pay attention to the new clothes I bought!' She grabbed his book and flung it behind her. "Oww!" A distant voice said the background. "Who threw this book at me?"  
  
Logan stood up, furious, "What did you do that for? Do you have any idea what's in that book?" Logan walked off to find his book, leaving her standing there in the corner where he once was.  
  
'That went well, I think he likes me.' Veronica curled her lips into a smile and went to find Logan. She found him, apologizing to the guy who had been pegged with Logan's book. "Logan!"  
  
'Ugh, what does she want?' "Yeah?"  
  
Veronica rung her hands, then started, "I was wondering if you wanted to go out for coffee sometime? Like next Thursday?"  
  
"Um.. well, I-"  
  
"Great! See ya then!" She turned around to find Daphne. 'I did it!' Veronica walked away, leaving Logan standing there, speechless. 'What the hell did I get myself into now?' Logan would learn not soon after, that he was in way over his head.  
  
  
  
When Thursday rolled around, Veronica rushed over to the coffee shop, to find Logan already there, drinking coffee and writing in that book of his again. "Hi!" Veronica said rather happily.  
  
Logan jumped out of his chair, and turned around to see who it was. Veronica. 'Great, just great. Why did I have to come on the day she set us up on a date? Why Cale, why?! Stupid, stupid!'  
  
She sat down in the chair right across from him and began to yap like she was timed for cramming the most words in one breath. After and hour or so, Logan interrupted her, "I'm sorry, Veronica, I really have to go. It was good seeing you, see ya around." Logan grabbed his backpack and headed for the door. 'You survived, Cale, you truly are a man.' ~*~  
  
  
  
It continued on like that for five hellish months. Logan would just happen to be the wrong place at the right time, or Veronica would come and wake him up every morning or something like that. He had already survived it once, and plans for reconcile weren't even on his mind, especially now that he and Max finally admitted how they felt for each other, he couldn't let her go, ever.  
  
"You knew my every move and followed me everywhere! That's not a relationship, that's a following, and I don't want any of that!" Logan spat all his anger out as he saw his words get to her.  
  
His words cut deep, but what could she say? He was right- she did know his every move, every single one. "You mean, it was never, we weren't?"  
  
"I'm sorry I had to tell you his way. I really am." The room remained silent, but Logan could hear the faint rip of her heart.  
  
truly crushed as you fight the toughest battle yet  
  
trying to stop the tears flow and let the final seams of your heart rip  
  
scrambling to banish those sparkling eyes from your mind forever  
  
but you can't no matter how hard you try  
  
letting a tear drop from your face and land on your heart  
  
as the final seam breaks  
  
in a daze wondering what went wrong  
  
  
  
Veronica felt the room spin as she felt everything slip from her grasp. The alcohol didn't seem to help either. She struggled to stand and grab her purse. "I have to go."  
  
She choked, trying to keep the tears from falling. She headed for the door, but the room kept spinning faster and faster. Logan grabbed her arm and guided her over to the couch. "I'm calling you a cab. When you're sober, you can come back for your car."  
  
He picked the phone, rattled off his address and hung up. "He'll be here in a few minutes. The driver's gonna come up and help you to the cab, ok?" Logan handed her some water and she drank it all. It felt so good to drink something that didn't burn the back of your throat. Logan went back into his room to check on Max while Veronica just sat in the living room, thinking about those five months, and what Margot did to her. The doorbell rang and Logan came out of his room.  
  
"Logan, I'm so sorry, I didn't know, she told me-" Veronica's words came in a rush as panic escalated in her voice.  
  
"It's ok, I understand." Logan gave her a look of understanding and opened the door for her.  
  
Veronica looked at him one last time before she left for good. "You're a good man, Logan Cale. Take care of her." She ran her hand on his stubbled cheek and walked out the door and out of his life for good.  
  
As the door closed, he whispered, "I will."  
  
  
  
Max slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She wasn't on the floor anymore, she was in Logan's bed, and wasn't seizing. But where was Logan? "Logan?" she softly croaked, "Logan?"  
  
"Right here." Logan was looking at her from the chair next to his bed, with his leather journal sitting in his lap.  
  
"I take it that you found me on the floor and gave me my meds?"  
  
Logan nodded his head and reached out to hold her hand. 'She's ok, she's ok.'  
  
"Where were you?" Her voice was full of sadness and anger, "When I got here you were gone." Max looked off into oblivion, then snapped back to life. "You didn't ditch me for Eyes Only did you?"  
  
Logan broke a smile. 'Doesn't take much to bring her sarcasm back.' "No, actually, Margot brainwashed an old "girlfriend" of mine and tried to set me up with her."  
  
"Sounds like Margot could start the next Manticore." Logan chuckled as Max's expression grew serious.  
  
"Why didn't you call me? We were supposed to spend the day together." Logan could see hurt screaming from her eyes once again.  
  
"I couldn't. Veronica burst in and dragged me of before I could grab my phone and call you. And everywhere we went was phone-less." Max sat in silence, looking rather far off and worried. "When I had gotten off the hellish boat, she insisted on having dinner here. When I got in I paged you and found you on the floor.." Logan trailed off and shuttered at the scene he had witnessed only a short time ago. "I thought I lost you."  
  
Max gazed into his eyes to see worry and concern covering the sparkle that had been there only moments ago. "I thought I had lost you." Max saw the haunting images of Logan's tombstone once gain and shivered.  
  
Logan raised an eyebrow in question so Max continued. "I was back at the night of the escape- and all of the sudden Lydecker showed up. He started to spout off that I could never leave, no matter where I go." Max started to choke up as tears welled in her eyes.  
  
Logan slipped into bed next to her and held her tight as she let the well- built barriers down and let the tears roll. "And then, he ssaid I would kkill everyone I I loved, and ttthen he showed me, he showed me yyyour, your.." The tears came faster as her emotions ran wild.  
  
"Shh- it's ok. it was just a dream. Shhh.." Logan rocked her back and forth as she held on to him tightly. Minutes, what seemed like hours, passed in silence coupled with sobs until she spoke once again.  
  
"..he showed me you're your tombssttoone." Max buried her head in Logan's chest and held him tight as tears melted into his shirt.  
  
"It's ok, I'm here, just let it out, just let it out."  
  
  
  
Night descended on the threshold of Seattle. The business of Seattle slowed to a sluggish pace as people arrived to a place called home, or at least for now. Sector nine slowly wound down as those fortunate enough to work there travel home with concerns, worries and papers. Lights began to turn on one by one in houses and flats as the lights from offices faded. Seattle was still the city it used to be before the Pulse at night. Worries seemed to dim with the daylight when a dark calm engulfed the city.  
  
Two people seemed to love the night the most. Memories of first meetings, chess games, dinners, and dances stayed fresh in their minds. Night was truly the best time for them.  
  
  
  
Logan watched Max sleep as the darkness seeped in once again. Her head was still buried in his chest, which was still fresh with tears; her ear was up against his heart, sleeping to soft beat of his heart. He kissed her head and held her tight as she started to open her eyes. Max looked up at Logan and smile.  
  
"I love you." Logan bent down and kissed her passionately.  
  
"I love you too Max." Max reached up to kiss him but pulled back. "By the way, if you have any other old flames that know Margot, tell me so I can drop-kick their asses before they get near my man."  
  
Logan chuckled as his heart swelled with pride. That was the first time she had said 'my man." He pulled her close and said, "Consider it done."  
  
Max kissed his nose, "Got anything to eat? Seizures don't exactly weaken my appetite."  
  
"I'm sure I could whip up something."  
  
Max laughed and crawled out of bed with Logan and walked into the kitchen.  
  
  
  
Max was standing on the Space Needle once more. The cool wind whipped at her face as she gazed upon the city. Thoughts of the last twenty-four hours flew threw her head.  
  
'Nothing will ever be normal between Logan and me, except that we love each other. And that's ok, because being normal isn't what I do best. Thanks Logan, for sticking with me through this bitch. Nothing can tear us apart now.' 


End file.
